This application claims the priority of German patent application 101 37 605.7, filed in Germany on Aug. 1, 2001, and contents of that priority application are incorporated by reference herein.
The invention concerns a lamp for vehicles having a light conductor element which includes at least one light in-coupling element arranged between two adjacent light out-coupling elements, with a light source associated with a light in-coupling surface of the light in-coupling element, there being at least two light-diverting surfaces of the light in-coupling element, each associated with one of the light out-coupling elements and serving to divert light beams radiated from the light source toward the respective light out-coupling elements.
European patent EP 0900 694 A2 discloses a headlight for vehicles with a lamp for position light. The lamp comprises a ring-shaped light conductor element that surrounds a bowl-shaped reflector. The light conductor element has a light in-coupling element that is positioned between two adjacent light out-coupling elements and is coupled to a light conductor strand. Because the light conductor element is shaped to have a ring shape, and because it has only a single light in-coupling element, the two light out-coupling elements transition into one another. Each of the light out-coupling elements is provided with an out-coupling surface on a front-side facing a cover pane of the headlight and with a reflection surface at a backside. The light in-coupling element has two planar light diverting, or deflecting, surfaces and one light in-coupling surface. On the front side of the light in-coupling element there is a wedge-shaped depression that is bordered by the two planar light-diverting surfaces. The light in-coupling element on the backside of the light conductor element extends far toward the rear, and transitions into a light conductor strand. A light source is associated with a light in-coupling surface of the light conductor strand. The light in-coupling element tapers conically toward its rearward end and has there a light in-coupling surface. Through the conically extending portion of the light in-coupling clement, outgoing diverging light from the light source is directed as parallel as possible. Only the parallel-extending light falling on the planar light-diverting surfaces will be transported far into the light out-coupling element before it is out-coupled. A larger portion of the in-coupled light is no longer parallel because of the outgoing diverging light from the light source and because of multiple reflections in the light in-coupled element. Because the non-parallel extending light, after one reflection on the planar light reflection surface does not extend far into the light out-coupling element, or it is lost, if the light out-coupling element is long, a uniform illumination cannot be achieved.
German patent document DE-A-199 04 644 discloses a lamp that is comprised of a plurality of light conductor elements placed at one another. The light conductor elements have an elongated light out-coupling element and a light in-coupling element. The light in-coupling element has a single outwardly-bulged, or curved, light-diverting surface with a light source arranged at its focus position. A light diode serves as the light source. The curved light-diverting surface bundles various light beams of the light diode. Thus, these go far into the light out-coupling element and the light out-coupling element is uniformly illuminated. In order to achieve a long light out-coupling element it is necessary to arrange a plurality of light-conducting elements side-by-side.
It is an object of this invention to improve a lamp for a vehicle of a type having a light conductor element which has at least one light in-coupling element arranged between two adjacent light out-coupling elements, with a light source associated with a light in-coupling surface of the light in-coupling element, with at least two light-diverting surfaces of the light in-coupling element, with each associated with one of the light out-coupling elements and serving to divert light rays radiating from the light source to the respective light out-coupling elements, in such a manner that as much light as possible from the light-source received by the light in-coupling element reaches as far as possible into the light out-coupling element, but with the light out-coupling element not being a protruding component, that is not protruding far from the backside of the lamp.